Suffolk County lawmakers passed a $3.8 billion budget with the help of federal pandemic aid, higher sales tax revenue and an opioid legal settlement.
The budget passed unanimously and has money for expanded sewers, debt repayment and hiring more county workers. The county will hire some 500 public safety employees including police, corrections officers and sheriff deputies. The police budget is increased 16% compared to last year and will compose 21% of the county’s total budget.
For homeowners without sewers, the county portion of their tax bill will remain the same. The budget increases are offset by roughly half a billion dollars in one-shot revenue.
